The invention concerns a relocating device for relocating a product in a packaging machine, wherein the product can be received by the relocating device at a supply location, and can be disposed at a deposition location, wherein the relocating device comprises a first pivotable relocating arm and a second pivotable relocating arm each comprising a holding means for the product.
The invention also concerns a method for relocating a product in a packaging machine, wherein the product is received by a relocating device at a supply location and is disposed at a deposition location, wherein the relocating device comprises a first pivotable relocating arm and a second pivotable relocating arm each having a holding means for the product.
The relocation of a blister in a blister packaging machine is described below by means of example. The invention is, however, not limited thereto.
In a blister packaging machine, a plurality of cups are formed in an endless sheet web, into each of which one or more products are disposed, which may e.g. be pharmaceuticals, in particular, tablets or capsules. A covering foil is subsequently sealed thereon which tightly encloses the products in the cups. The blister band formed in this manner is separated in a punching or cutting unit into blister strips (called blisters below).
In a conventional blister packaging machine (WO 00/68086), the blister is relocated using a relocating device which comprises two pivot arms which are disposed next to each other.
Each pivot arm may receive one blister at a supply location, wherein each pivot arm has its own supply location, and the supply locations are disposed next to each other in a punching unit. Each pivot arm disposes the received blister onto a continuous conveying belt, wherein the blisters are disposed on the conveying belts with mutual offset in the transport direction. The blisters are subsequently transferred to a common continuous conveying belt and supplied to the packaging unit.
In particular for packaging medication, it is often necessary or conventional to fill several blisters into a folded box or into another package. Towards this end, a stack comprising a corresponding number of blisters must be formed from the individual blisters, which is then packed into the folded box or another package. A special stacking unit is provided to form the stack, which is disposed at the end of the conveyor belt. The blisters which were recognized as being incomplete and/or improperly sealed are rejected directly upstream of the stacking unit, and the presence of the blisters is checked. This requires substantial equipment and handling expense in order to form a stack from a desired number of blisters, which can be transferred to a downstream cartoning device. Moreover, changing the blister format requires a plurality of adjustments and modifications which increases the downtime of the packaging machine.
DE 199 17 436 C2 also describes a device for relocating a blister onto a conveying device. The relocating device is designed as a lowering device which passes through the punching tool so that the blisters are deposited on the conveying device that extends below the punching tool. The relatively long cycle time required for relocating the blister is particularly disadvantageous, since the punching tool is blocked during downward transport of the blister onto the conveying device.
It is the underlying purpose of the invention to produce a relocating device and a method of the above-mentioned type for relocating the blisters in a simple and rapid fashion with a fast cycle time.